A switching converter serves for converting an input voltage, which can be applied to input terminals, into an output voltage, which is available at output terminals. There are various switching converter topologies. What is common to these switching converter topologies is that at least the following circuit components are present: an inductive storage element, a switching element, a rectifier element and a capacitive storage element. During the operation of the switching converter, the switching element is switched on and off cyclically. The individual circuit components are connected up in such a way that the inductive storage element buffer stores energy during switched-on phases of the switching element and outputs at least part of the stored energy during a subsequent switched-off phase to the capacitive storage element via the rectifier element.
Transitions from a switched-on phase to a switched-off phase of the switching element are critical with regard to electromagnetic interference radiation and critical with regard to overvoltages that can occur at parasitic inductances if a current flowing through the switching element changes rapidly. During such a transition phase, a current through the inductive storage element that flows through the switching element during the switched-on phase has to be accepted by the rectifier element. Extremely high changes in voltages present across the switching element and the rectifier element, and in currents flowing through these components can occur during this transition.